The old bachelor in the blue city

by Jiali MA (China)

I didn't expect to find India

I was about to climb the Jodhpur castle but was so tired after a long walk that I didn’t even notice an old man resting next to me. He smiled at me and pointed to my camera, “photo, take me a photo.” There were so many people like him in India. They either wanted to mooch or wanted money. I glanced at him without answering. He looked at me wistfully for a while as I was sitting. Faced with the desire for a photo, I couldn’t help relenting. I told him to come over. “Click”, I took a picture of him so casually that the background was even a piece of dusty yellow wall. He took out a pen and paper, writing the address and asking: “Could you send me the photo?” I was moved by his real anticipation for a photo. I nodded my head, assuming he had written down an email address. Unexpectedly, the address he had written down was the mailing address of his home, which was incomplete and lacking in number. “Don’t you have an email address?” I asked. He shook his head. “Don’t your children have an email?” I asked. He bowed his head for a while, then looked up and said, “I have no children…” “Doesn’t your wife know the Internet?” I continued. He didn’t reply. I asked again, “does your friend have an email?” He remained silent again. After a while, he said, “miss, I have no wife, no children. I am not married… I even don’t have friends.” “Impossible!” “I really have no friends, miss.” His head bowed lower as the breeze passed softly through his white beard. I felt sad hearing that. His eyebrows and whiskers were carefully trimmed, his khaki trousers had barely pleats and his shirt was neatly tucked into the waistband. He must care about self-esteem to be clean and decent, even without family and friends. I replied, “I’ll try.” He smiled, “If it doesn’t arrive, don’t worry, take it easy. As long as you are happy.” Watching my silence, he comforted me again: “Really, as long as you are happy.” Behind him was the northern Indian blue city, Jodhpur. The khaki pants and the white shirt of the old man could not match the blue background at all, making him seem lonelier. The next morning, I walked 90 minutes to find a print shop in the desert weather of 40 degrees. With further consideration, I printed him a head photo in case he wanted to get on a match making advertisement. After walking and asking for an hour through the scream of horns, I found his house. Before knocking on the door, a man came out from a nearby toilet. I pointed to the old man’s name on the note and asked. He was very enthusiastic: “Come in. He lives here.” “Are you sure?” He said: “Pretty sure!” With what? He was more confused: “He’s my father!” Following him into the house, I was too surprise to close my mouth when I saw the old man sitting on the floor, enjoying tea time with his family. Seeing me, he was both surprised and happy, invited me to sit with his family with a smile. At the thought of my worries and sympathy, I bent down and laughed for a while before I recovered. His grandson said that his grandpa had retired from administrative work at Jodhpur University and he accused grandpa of lying to me. I said I was really happy in fact. I had been sad thinking about his age without love and support. Now I felt at ease seeing his family was tied tightly. The old man’s house was big, with four floors and at least ten guest rooms. The decorations of the house were particular about atmosphere and color, which were not comparable to ordinary people’s houses in Jodhpur. His family asked me to stay for dinner. Afraid of disturbing, I found an excuse to leave. He said sincerely: “Come live at my house next time.” “Yes, certainly.” I had no idea whether I really promised him or I lied.